Numbers 19:18
16 Anyone in the open field who touches someone who has been killed by the sword or has died of natural causes, or anyone who touches a human bone or a grave, will be unclean for seven days.
17 For the purification of the unclean person, take some of the ashes of the burnt sin offering, put them in a jar, and pour fresh water over them.
Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to take some hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle the tent, all the furnishings, and the people who were there. He is also to sprinkle the one who touched a bone, a grave, or a person who has died or been slain.
19 The man who is ceremonially clean is to sprinkle the unclean person on the third day and on the seventh day. After he purifies the unclean person on the seventh day, the one being cleansed must wash his clothes and bathe in water, and that evening he will be clean.
20 But if a person who is unclean does not purify himself, he will be cut off from the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water of purification has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to take some hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle the tent, all the furnishings, and the people who were there. He is also to sprinkle the one who touched a bone, a grave, or a person who has died or been slain.
- KJV
- And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave:
- WEB
- A clean person shall take hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, on all the vessels, on the persons who were there, and on him who touched the bone, or the slain, or the dead, or the grave.
- ASV
- and a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched the bone, or the slain, or the dead, or the grave:
- DARBY
- and a clean man shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, and upon all the utensils, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that hath touched the bone, or the one slain, or the dead person, or the grave;
- BLB
- And a man who is ceremonially clean shall take hyssop and dip [it] in the water and sprinkle [it] on the tent and on all the vessels and on the persons who were there, or on the one who touched against a bone, or against the slain, or against the dead, or against a grave.
- ÅB
- Og en mann som er ren, skal ta Isop og dyppe i vannet og sprenge på teltet og på alle de ting og alle de folk som var der, og på den som har rørt ved menneskeben eller ved en som er drept, eller ved et annet lik eller ved en grav.
- OTB
- En ren person skal ta isop, dyppe den i vannet, og sprenge det på teltet, alle møblene og menneskene som var der. Han må også sprenge det på enhver som har rørt ved et bein, en grav, eller noen som ble drept eller døde naturlig.
- B1930
- Og en mann som er ren, skal ta Isop og dyppe i vannet og sprenge på teltet og på alle de ting og alle de folk som var der, og på den som har rørt ved menneskeben eller ved en som er drept, eller ved et annet lik eller ved en grav.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Ezekiel 36:25–27
I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols.
Read in contextHebrews 9:14
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!
Read in contextNumbers 19:9
Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to gather up the ashes of the heifer and store them in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp. They must be kept by the congregation of Israel for preparing the water of purification; this is for purification from sin.
Read in contextPsalms 51:7
Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Read in contextJohn 17:17
Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.
Read in context1 Corinthians 1:30
It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.
Read in contextJohn 15:2–3
He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful.
Read in contextJohn 17:19
For them I sanctify Myself, so that they too may be sanctified by the truth.
Read in context